Carpet-stretcher



(No Model-J I D. HOUPT. C aQ-rvpet'- Str-et e h gar".V

No. 227,784 Patented v|v| ay 1s'. 1880. l

Mhz ess es efaw, g y

`MFI'ERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER WASHINGYUN D C UNITED SAMUEL D. HOUPT, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. eeavsgdated May 18, 1880.

Application filed April 13, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: f

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. HOUPT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Findlay, in the county of Hancock and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garpet-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, rei'- erence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or gures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specication.

Figure l ofthe drawings is a View, in perspectiuve, of a device embodying the improvements in my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view 5 and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing one of the toothed rollers removed.

This invention relates to carpet-stretchers 5 and its objects are to produce a cheap, simple, and effective means of stretching carpets when placed upon the iioor, and to hold the same in position until suitably fastened to the floor, without tearing the carpet or pulling the fiber or threads therefrom; and to these ends it consists of the improvements in construction hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates two toothed rollers, mounted upon a common shaft, B, in a manner to leave a space, Y @,between the inner ends of the rollers, which inner ends are provided with ratchet-wheels D. In the space C, and pivoted to the shaft B, is a bifurcated lever, E, carrying a pivoted pawl, F, on each side, which is designed to operate the rollers A.

The bifurcation in the lever E receives the rear end of a bar, G, rigidly secured to the center of the shaft B, and permits the lever to be worked back'and forth around its pivotal connection with the shaftB, as may be required.

The bar G extends forward, as shown, and is provided at its front end with a dog or spike, H. Curved arms I extend from the sides of the bar G rearward, and are connectedto the ends of the shaft B in any suitable manner, as by screws c.

Washers b are interposed between theinner faces of the ends of the arms-I and the ends of the rollers A.

Detents J are pivoted to each side of the bar G, near the rollers A, to be thrown in connection with the ratchet-wheels D, to prevent a reverse movement of the rollers A.V

A strip, K, of rubber or other suitable material is clamped between bars L M, and the bar M secured, through media of flanges c and screws, to the curved arms I, in a position to permit the strip K to press against the rollers A.

The teeth d of the rollers A are conical, short, and sufficiently sharp to engage the carpet.

lThe operation of the device is as follows: The carpet is first laid upon the door, and a strip or more, according to circumstances, tacked at one side of the room. The stretcher is then placed upon the carpet, the dog H driven into the floor, and thel lever E operated in the direction of the arrow, which will revolve the rollers A upon the shaft B, and the teeth d, engaging' the carpet, will draw it in the direction of the dog H. The detents J prevent a reverse movement of the rollers, and the carpet is held by the teeth (l in the position to which it has been drawn until it has been suitably fastened to the door. As the teeth d have a tendency to lift the carpet at the front of the rollers, the iiexible strip K" is provided to clear the teeth at this point.

As the rollers are independent, and have independent ratchets and pawls, it is obvious that the space C can be placed over the seam of a carpet and the rollers operated separately to draw the strips of carpet to make the figures andcolors match.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination of the toothed rollers A d, loosely mounted upon the shaft B, fixed in a frame composed of the bar Grand curved arms I, and provided with the ratchet-wheels D at their inner ends, with the bifurcated lever E, provided with the pivoted pawls F and the detents J, pivoted to the bar G, all constructed and operating substantiztlly as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a. carpet-stretcher, the combination of the toothed rollers A with the flexible strip 5 K, secured to the arms I in front of the rollers A, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL D. HOUPT.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. A. GAsrER. A. BLAGKIFORD. 

